Shoe form



"S p 26,-1939.- w. J. DE Wm 2,173,934

snot FORM Filed Nov. 13, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 26, 1939. w, J 35 wrrr' 2,173,934

SHOE FORI Fil ed Nov. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE Shoe Form (10., Inc., tion of New York Auburn, N. Y., a corpora- Application November 13, 1937, Serial No. 174,310

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in shoe forms and in a further development of the invention to which my copending application Serial No. 174,309, filed November 13, 1937, is directed in that the toe member of the form is provided with means which by reason of their contact with the insole of the shoe in which the form is inserted, cause the toe member to support yieldably the break of the vamp of the shoe in which the shoe form is inserted.

The shoe form to which this application is directed includes in addition to the toe member a back part member whereby such action of the toe member is further controlled by the contact of the back part member with the heel counter of the hoe and whereby under certain conditions the side walls of the toe member are expanded and contracted.

The drawings wherein several embodiments of this invention are shown comprise the followmg:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 also illustrating in part a shoe in which the shoe form is inserted;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of another embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of another embodiment of the invention, Fig. 4 illustrating the form in its normal condition and Fig. 5 illustrating the form when functioning in a shoe;

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the embodiment taken respectively along the section line 6-6 in Fig. 4 and the section line 'l-'l in Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the element of such embodiment of the invention.

The embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the type set forth in my copending application Serial No. 110,105, filed November 10, 1935, and comprises a laterally expansible toe member l8 and a back part member H by which the toe member is inserted in the toe of the shoe.

The toe member includes ball flanges 55 connected by a crossbrace IS. The crossbrace I6 consists of two crossed rods or wires ll, each pivoted at one end to a flange l5 and having a slidable contact at the other end with the other flange through an arcuate slot 18 therein.

The back part member I l is pivotally attached near its forward end to the crossbrace l6 as by a loop 20 which encloses both rods IT. The forward end of the member II is bent back to form a large loop 2| and terminates in a small loop 22,

When the form is inserted in a shoe the toe member IE! is yieldably expanded both laterally by the forward urge of the back part member 5 upon the crossbrace, and upwardly by the loop 21 which bears yieldably upon the toe member to hold it in contact with that part of the toe of the shoe known as the break of the vamp. The loop 2| is so formed that it rests upon the insole of the shoe and is thus urged upwardly against the toe member. The toe of the shoe is thereby yieldably plumped out laterally by the expan sion of the toe member and additional yieldable support is provided at the break of the vamp.

The back part member here shown consists of two sections 25 and 26, joined by a spring 2'! which surrounds the forward end of the section 25 and the backward end of the section 26. The sections are thus relatively movable parallel to each other as will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings wherein the member II is shown in Fig. 1 to be compressed and in Fig. 2 is shown to be extended. At the rearward end of the section 25 is mounted a button 28- carrying a spur or prong 29 which is embedded in the lining of the shoe heel counter and thus holds the shoe form removably in position.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 comprises a toe member 30 and a back part member 3| secured intermediate its length to the toe member 30 at the break of the vamp by a rivet 32. The forward end of the back part member terminates in a loop 33, which normally projects below the lower edge of the toe member. At the rearward end of the back part member is formed a loop 34 which in the usual way bears against the heel counter, as indicated in dotted lines. When inserted in a shoe the loop 33 bears against the insole of the shoe and raises the toe member yieldably in contact with the toe of the shoe at the break of the vamp. The back part member 3| holds the toe member 30 forwardly in position in the shoe through the contact of the loop 34 with the heel counter.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive comprises a toe member 49 and a back part member M. The back part member 4| is similar to the back part member ll of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in both structure and function and hence will not be described in detail.

Secured to the toe member 40 is a yieldable expanding element here shown as consisting of a length of spring wire secured to the toe member by a rivet 42 about which the mid portion of the wire is looped and by rivets 43 which engage the ends of the wire. The rivet 42 is located along the longitudinal center of the toe member at a point corresponding approximately to the break of the vamp of the shoe into which the form is inserted. The rivets 43 are located in the side walls of the toe member adjacent the lower edges thereof.

The portions of the wire between the rivet 42 and each rivet 43 are similar in construction. Each portion comprises a forwardly, slightly laterally and downwardly extending length 45, a laterally extending length 46 at approximately a right angle to the length 45, and an outwardly and upwardly curved length 47. The entire length 46 and the lower parts of the lengths 45 and 41 are below the lower edge of the toe member. The lengths 45 of the two portions of the wire cross adjacent the rivet 42 and the lengths 46 thereof cross adjacent the lengths 45. The loop 50 at the forward end of the back part member 41 encircles the lengths 45. When the shoe form is in its normal position (see Fig. 4) the loop 56 is adjacent the rivet 42 (see Fig. 6) and when it is in the expanded position it assumes in a shoe (see Fig. the loop is advanced forwardly and downwardly from the rivet 42 along the lengths 4 5 (see Fig. '7).

When the toe member is inserted in the toe of a shoe the lengths 45 contact with the insole of the shoe thereby yieldably urging the wall of the toe member at the rivet 42 upwardly through the lengths 45 and thus yieldably supporting the break of the vamp of the toe of the shoe and tending to plump it out thereat. The lengths 46 are swung backward with the lengths 41 about the rivets 43 and the bend of the lengths 45 is slightly increased. The back part member 4| is then contracted so that the button 5| may be placed against the heel counter. The spring 52 thereupon urges the loop 50 forwardly and causes it to advance along the lengths 45. Since the lengths 45 are crossed this movement of the loop causes the lengths 45 to advance the lengths 46 outwardly and thereby through the lengths 41, to expand the side walls of the toe member and plump out the walls of the toe of the shoe. This movement of the back part member acts in addition to cause the toe member to support yieldably the shoe in which the form is inserted at the break of the vamp thereof.

While certain embodiments of this invention have been shown and described it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe form comprising a toe member provided with means for laterally expanding the Walls thereof, and a back part member connected intermediate its length to said expanding means, and shaped at its forward end into a loop which yieldably holds the toe member in contact with the break of the vamp of a shoe in which the shoe form is inserted.

2. A shoe form comprising a toe member provided with means for laterally expanding the walls thereof, and a back part member connected intermediate its length to said expanding means, and adapted to actuate such means, the forward end of said back part member bearing upon said toe member and yieldably holding it in contact with the break of the vamp of a shoe in which the shoe form is inserted.

3. A shoe form comprising a toe member provided with a crossbrace by which the walls thereof may be yieldably expanded and a back part member having intermediate its length a loop enclosing said crossbrace and having its forward end shaped into a loop which, when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, bears against the insole of the shoe and the toe member.

4. A shoe form comprising a toe member provided with a crossbrace by which the walls thereof may be yieldably expanded and a back part member having intermediate its length a loop enclosing said crossbrace and having its forward end shaped into a loop which, when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, bears against the toe member and yieldably holds it in contact with the shoe at the break of the vamp thereof.

5. A shoe form comprising a toe member provided with a crossbrace by which the walls thereof may be yieldably expanded, and a back part member having intermediate its length a loop enclosing said crossbrace and having its forward end shaped into a loop, said back part member, when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, actuating said crossbrace and holding the toe member in contact with the shoe at the break of the vamp thereof.

6. A shoe form comprising a toe member and a back part member, said back part member having intermediate its length a loop and having its forward end shaped into a second loop, and means engaging said first-named loop to join the members together, said second loop, when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, hearing against the insole of the shoe and yieldably supporting the toe member at an area corresponding approximately to the break of the vamp of such shoe.

'7. A shoe form comprising a toe member and a back part member, said back part member being provided with a loop, and means fixed to said toe member which pass through said loop whereby when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, the forward pressure of the back part member, due to its position against the heel counter of such shoe, yieldably holds the toe member against the break of the vamp of the shoe.

8. A shoe form comprising a toe member and a back part member, said back part member being provided with a loop and means, fixed to said toe member, by which the side Walls thereof are expanded or contracted, which means pass through the loop in the back part member to join the members together said means and loop being relatively movable whereby, when the form is inserted in a shoe, the forward pressure of the back part member, due to its position against the heel counter of the shoe, yieldably expands the side walls of the toe member against the walls of the toe of such shoe.

9. A shoe form comprising a toe member and a back part member, said back part member being provided with a loop, and means fixed to said toe member at a point corresponding approximately to the break of the vamp of a shoe in which the form is inserted, which means pass through the loop in the back part member and are readily removable relative thereto to join the two members together whereby, when the form is inserted in a shoe, the forward pressure of the back part member acts, due to its position against the heel counter of such shoe to hold yieldably the toe member against the break of the vamp of the shoe.

10. A shoe form comprising a toe member and a back part member, said back part member being provided with a loop, and means, fixed to said toe member at a point corresponding approximately to the break of the vamp of a shoe into which the shoe form is inserted, by which the side walls of the toe member are expanded and 10 contracted, which means pass through the loop in the back part member to join the members together whereby, when the shoe form is inserted in a shoe, the forward pressure of the back part member, due to its position against the heel counter of the shoe, yieldably expands the side walls of the toe member and causes the latter to yieldably support the break of the vamp of such shoe. 

